Step for freight cars



May 27, 1930.

G. E. LARGE STEP FOR FREIGHT CARS Filed Feb. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet lG. E. LARGE STEP FOR FREIGHT CARS Filed Feb. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2oooo oloooooooaoun OOuOclooO .i atented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE GEORGE E. LARGE, OF COLUIVIIBUS,'OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THEBUCKEYE STEEL CASTINGS COMPANY, OF COLUBIBUS, OHIO STEP FOR FREIGHT CARSApplication filed. February 21, 1929.

This invention relates to steps or ladders, and more particularly toinside steps for freight cars or the like.

A trainman, in travelling along a train of empty gondola cars, inpassing from car to car, must either jump down into and climb out ofeach car, or walk the bulb angle along the top of the car side, unlessthe cars are provided with inside ladders or steps. Climbing up and downin cars having no steps, is ditficult and laborious, especially in carswith high sides. Running the bulb angle is dangerous, and particularlyso when the cars are in motion, since the width of the surfacetraversed, does not exceed six inches.

Heretofore, inside steps have been formed by riveting short pieces ofrolled steel angle to the wall of the car; thus making an in wardlyprojecting shelf for the foot of the trainman. This construction isobjectionable because it often interferes with the loading and unloadingof certain mate-rials which tend to catch on to the shelves. As a resultof the abuse they receive, due to the loading, unloading and settling ofthe lading, the shelves are bent downwardly, or the rivets loosened, sothat the shelves become unsafe and ill-suited forv their intendedpurpose. Furthermore, loosening of the rivets causes a crevice to beformed between the angle and the sheet. which catches water and hastenscorrosion at this place. The surface of the angle upon which thetrainman treads, is also smooth (being a rolled shape), and, therefore,does not provide a sure footing, especially in bad weather.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide inside stepswhich will eliminate the disadvantages above mentioned.

Another object is to provide inside steps of such design that they maybe readily formed in a car end of integral construction, or be placed ona car end of the built-up type.

lVith the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in viewwhich will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists inthe novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Serial No. 341,717.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a car end of integral construction, andprovided with the improved inside steps.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the same, taken on theline 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3'is an enlarged horizontal sectional view on the line 33 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one of the steps, takenon the line 4:% of Fig. 5. I

Fig. 5 is an elevation of one of the steps, and aportion of the main webof the car end with which it is integral.

Fig.6 is an elevation of the outer side of a car end of the built-uptype, and provided with a modified form of inside steps.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical view of the same on the line 77 of Fig.6. I

Fig. 8 is a top plan View of one of the steps.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view on the line 1010 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 11,11 of Fig. 9, andwith part broken away.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5inclusive, the improved steps 15 are illustrated as forming integralportions of a one-piece cast steel car end 16. This car end has anoutside ladder 17. and it is preferred that the inside steps be placedalongside of this ladder to facilitate the travelling of a trainman fromthe inside to the outside of the car, and viceversa. Each step 15 isformed by an outwardly projecting dome 18, that is preferably elongatedvertically, and provides a recess or pocket 19 which is accessible fromthe inside of the car, and is located outwardly of the main web 20. Abridge 21 spans the mouth of each pocket intermediate the upper andlower ends of the same, and this divides the face of the pocket intoupper and lower communicating openings 22 and 23, the opening 23 beingpreferably larger than the opening 22, so that any coal dust or similarmatter which may enter the pocket may readily discharge by gravity whenthe car is unloaded.

From the drawings, it will be noted how neatly this step can beincorporated in the sheet of the casting Without interfering in any waywith the clearances either inside or outside of the car.

It has been stated above that the pocket cannot collect or becomeclogged with bulk lading, such as fine coal or gravel. This is cfic-ctedto some extent by making the cavity smallest at section AB, increasingits size gradually in proceeding downward to section Al? Thus, any pieceof lading small enough to enter section AB will drop out below atsection AB. The curve -13-- E-F of the dome is not a semi-circle, but anirregular curve, depending upon the contour of the bridge 21, whichforms the foot rest. In this case, it has been constructed by fittingtogether four different circle arcs, as shown in Fig. 4.

From Fig. 3 it may be also seen that the curve KLM has the same generalshape as the curve KLM at section AB, the former being somewhat largercorresponding to the progressive increase in size described above.Therefore, viewing the integral step from the exterior of the car, onesees a double curved surface not unlike half of an ellipsoid projectingfrom the end of the car, but made an integral part thereof by a fillctedconstruction, (see Figs. 1 and 2) As before stated, the inside steps arelocated in close proximity to the outside ladder, and they arepreferably staggered, for the greatest convenience and comfort oftheuser. lfhile only two steps are shown on the car end, of course, morethan this number may be used if desired, as in deeper cars.

The bridge 21 which forms the foot rest, has a roughened upper surface2%, for greatest safety, and it consists of a flange oryoke 25 and a web28, both of which have their surfaces continuous with the other two mainI surfaces of the structure, thus taking advan- 7 tage of their rigidityand permitting the foot rest or bridge itself to be comparatively small.strength, and provide an unobstructed path for the flows of metal incasting.

I may also mention that the recessed construction of this integralinside step not only protects it from injury due to lading, but

alsofrom the corrosive action of the elements.

Bioreover, it presents smooth rounded surfaces whieh tend to preventaccidents.

While the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusivehas been designed especially for use with one-piece cast metal car ends,I am aware that a similar construction may be made part of bu1lt-up carThe fillets 27 also contribute to its large hole in a rolled sheet toreceive a step design of the shape shown in Figs. 1 to 5 1nclusive, theone-piece step shown in Figs. 6 to 11 has been made with fittingsurfaces arranged in a diamond shape, so that the step may be fittedinto the car wall at a seam 30, 31, by simply shearing appropriatenotches in the edges of the sheets 33 to be joined, as shown in Fig. 6.The edges of the casting overlap the sheared edges of the sheets, shownat 34t, and suitable fastenings such as rivets 35 at the four corners,secure the casting in place.

T ie head 36 of the casting provides a surface for the sheets (on oneside), to abut against, and prevents possible leaking of the lading.Aside from the fact that the two openings 37 and 38 are triangular inshape (88 being the larger of the two), the rest of the casting consistsof curved surfaces constructed in exactly the same manner as the onesshown in Figs. 1 to 5. The foot rest or bridge 39 of this form of theinvention is also the same, being an integral part of the casting andmerging at its ends into the edge frame 40 which encircles the innerface of the pocket.

While both forms of the invention were conceived for use on theends ofgondola cars, I do not wish to be limited thereto, since it is manifestthey might wellbe applied to other types of cars, and to the sides aswell as the ends of cars.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, manner of useand advantages of the invention will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art, and that changes may be made in the detailsdisclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, asexpressed in the claims.

ll hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v I H 1. Aninside step for freightcarseor the like, including a. hollow dome-shapedmember having a mouth, and abridge extei'iding across the month betweenthetop and bot tom of the latter.

2. An inside step for cars or the like, including a dOmeshapedmemberforming a pocket, and a bridge extending horizontally across the mouthof the pocket. i

3. An inside step for career the like,.in-

eluding a dome-shaped,member forming apocket, and a bridge extendinghorizontally across the mouth of thepocket, said bridge having a.roughened upper surface.

4. An inside step for cars or the like, in cluding adome-shaped memberforming a pocket, and a bridge extending horizontally across the mouthof the pocket, said bridge having its ends merging into the. side wallsofthe dome Y 7 5. An inside step for cars or the like, ineludingadome-shaped member forming a pocket, and a bridge extendinghorizontally across the mouth of the pocket, the bridge being providedwith a reinforcing web which has its ends merging into opposite sides ofthe dome.

6. An inside step for cars or the like, including a dome-shaped memberforming a pocket in a car end and provided with a bridge extendinghorizontally across the pocket and dividing the face of the pocket intoupper and lower openings, said openings communicating with each otherthrough the interior of the pocket.

7. An inside step for cars or the like, including a dome-shaped memberforming a pocket in a car end and provided with a bridge extendinghorizontally across the pocket and dividing the face of the pocket intoupper and lower openings, said openings communicating with each otherthrough the interior of the pocket, the upper surface of the bridgebeing roughened and forming a foot tread.

8. An inside step for cars or the like, including a dome-shaped memberforming a pocket in a our end and provided with a bridge extendinghorizontally across the pocket and dividing the face of the pocket intoupper and lower openings, said openings communicating with each otherthrough the interior of the pocket, the lower opening being of largerarea than the upper opening, as and for the purpose described.

9. An inside step for cars or the like, including a dome-shaped memberforming a pocket in a car end and provided with a bridge extendinghorizontally across the pocket and dividing the face of the pocket intoupper and lower openings, said openings communicating with each otherthrough the interior of the pocket, the interior of the pocket beinggradually enlarged from the upper opening downwardly toward the loweropening.

10. An inside step for freight cars or the like, including a one-piececasting consisting of a dome-shaped member having an internal pocketwith a bridge extending across the mouth of the pocket and having itsends merging into the sides of the dome-shaped part.

11. An inside step for freight cars or the like, includin a onepiececasting consisting of a dome-shaped member having an internal pocketwith a bridge extending cross the mouth of the pocket and having itsends merging into the sides of the dome-shaped part. and a reinforcingweb arranged below the bridge and having its ends merging into the sidesof the dome-shaped part.

12. A metal step for freight cars or the like, consisting of a hollowdome-shaped part, the interior of said part forming a pocket to receivethe toe of a shoe, and a bridge extending across the mouth of the pocketand havspecification.

GEORGE E. LARGE.

